When Gene and Sandi Henderson first entered the R. Spencer Hines mansion, they knew it was the place to make their dream of opening a bed-and-breakfast come true.
"When I came in, I thought I was coming home," Sandi said.The Hendersons are now hoping the public will share their new home either as overnight guests or as sightseers interested in viewing a part of Provo's history. Three months of intensive work has turned the 100-year-old Provo mansion into a bed-and-breakfast. The nine bedrooms are decorated with antique and reproduction furniture in a variety of themes. The Hendersons, who purchased the building and began working on it Sept. 15, opened the mansion for business Dec. 18.
They have attempted to leave as much original decor in place as possible, such as wood moldings, brick walls and stained glass, while enhancing the home with new carpet, paint and wallpaper.
"We've always wanted to do something in the hospitality industry," said Gene, who shares with his wife a love for travel and meeting new people. Gene has worked for the Provo Fire Department for 17 years and plans to keep that job while helping to run the bed-and-breakfast.
The R. Spencer Hines mansion, located at 383 W. 100 South, is one of the more famous mansions in Provo and in the past has served as a restaurant, an apartment house, a boutique and a home for troubled youths. It was built by R. Spencer Hines in 1895, but he lived there only three years before his death, Sandi said. Hines' wife, Kitty, lived there for another eight years. Richard Karl August Kletting, the Utah architect who created the Utah State Capitol, is believed to have designed the mansion.
"I think it's found its home. To me, it's the perfect bed-and-breakfast," Sandi said.
Because it is familiar to people locally, the Hendersons have kept the name R. Spencer Hines Mansion as the name of their bed-and-breakfast. In the short time the business has been open, it has seen a steady stream of customers. Reservations have been made extending into next December. Prices range from $89 to $199 a night.
Despite the short time they had to do some major remodeling, the Hendersons say things have gone quite smoothly. "Whatever hurdle we've had, someone's been there to take care of us," Gene said. One of the more challenging aspects of the project was installing plumbing for seven new bathrooms (three existed in the house) and a whirlpool tub in each bedroom.
The bedrooms include the Country Garden room, accented with ivy, and the Cabin Fever room, with heavy wood furniture. The Kitty Hines room has stained-glass windows and white pillars on either side of the bed, and the Captain's Quarters feature nautical accessories and a large fish tank.
The most unusual room is the Library Suite, which is decorated with wallpaper featuring pictures of books on shelves. One section of the wall pivots and allows access into the bathroom; the owners refer to this feature as the secret passageway. A circular stairway leads to a small room at the top of the mansion, where the suite's whirlpool tub is located beneath a skylight.
The Hendersons plan to have interns from Brigham Young University and Utah Valley State College help with business operations for school credit. They are creating an apartment in the mansion's basement where a couple will live and be available to guests in the evenings. The Hendersons, who still own their original Provo home, plan to eventually move into the Hines mansion permanently after their children have grown up and moved away. They now are staying overnight at the mansion in whatever room is available until the basement apartment is finished.
Comments from guests have been positive. "People are very thankful to us, really, for saving the building," Sandi said. She and her husband want to make the building something that the whole community can share, and they hope to host small weddings and receptions. Anyone interested in seeing the building can stop in for a tour.
"We want this to be the nicest experience possible. It's not just going to be a place to stay; it's going to be an experience," Gene said.